Sibelius album review – El Pais

“Mäkelä does not imitate anyone, and it could even be said that he does not remind you of anyone. He has his own ideas and a very clear concept of how symphonic Sibelius should sound. The woodwinds and the low strings – both essential in the orchestral writing of his compatriot – always have the necessary density and sonorous presence. The post-romantic heritage is sifted by a constant striving for organicity and expressive restraint, the silences – also crucial in this music – have the necessary eloquence and the tempo is infinitely smooth and flexible.”

El Pais, Luis Gago, 21 May 2022